Podcasts about off broadway

A magic show that recoups in under a year, wins a Drama Desk Award, and packs a 200-seat New York theater with multi-generational audiences isn't an accident. In this conversation, Jamie Allen and producer Corey Ross break down how they fused tech, storytelling, and smart business strategy to build a magic experience that feels like theater and can scale like a brand.About the Host: Rachel Sandler is a Helen Hayes nominated music director, voice teacher, & producer. Rachel specializes in bringing her profound knowledge of vocal techniques and pedagogy to actors in the musical theatre community. Her students and collaborators have appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, National Tours, American Idol, and more.About the Guests: Jamie Allan is a West End and international technology magician renowned for fusing illusions with cutting-edge tech. He debuted "iMagic" on ITV in 1995 and has since showcased his signature iPad illusion on The BBC One Show, BBC Breakfast, Grand Cabaret Du Monde, and Penn & Teller: Fool Us. Allan won ITV's The Next Great Magician, starred in Impossible, and toured his record-breaking show iMagician from the West End to Chicago. He co-created the multimillion-dollar Illusionarium and Magic Immersive, authored the book Everything, and is currently making his New York debut at New World Stages with his critically acclaimed, The Times Critic's Choice show Amaze.Corey Ross is the trailblazing producer and CEO behind Starvox Entertainment and Lighthouse Immersive, known for breaking global box office records with Immersive Van Gogh and Immersive Disney Animation. His diverse production portfolio features hits like Potted Potter, Evil Dead: The Musical, Wow Variety Spectacular, Extravaganza, and The Art of Banksy exhibition. Ross has presented iconic theatrical shows including Cats, Forever Plaid, Sherlock Holmes (starring David Arquette), Trey Parker's Cannibal: The Musical, and the North American premiere of Bend It Like Beckham, while collaborating with A-list talent from Woody Harrelson to Andrea Bocelli.Connect with Rachel: Website: https://www.rachelsandlermusic.com/ Connect with Jamie and Corey:Website: https://amazemagic.com/new-york/ TurnKey Podcast Productions Important Links:Guest to Gold Video Series: www.TurnkeyPodcast.com/gold The Ultimate Podcast Launch Formula- www.TurnkeyPodcast.com/UPLFplusFREE workshop on how to "Be A Great Guest."Free E-Book 5 Ways to Make Money Podcasting at www.Turnkeypodcast.com/gift Ready to earn 6-figures with your podcast? See if you've got what it takes at TurnkeyPodcast.com/quizSales Training for Podcasters: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sales-training-for-podcasters/id1540644376Nice Guys on Business: http://www.niceguysonbusiness.com/subscribe/The Turnkey Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/turnkey-podcast/id1485077152

This episode we are joined by Tony nominated performer Norm Lewis! Norm is known for his roles in Porgy and Bess, Les Miserables and The Phantom of Opera. Many of his other theater credits include The Who's Tommy, Miss Saigon, Sweeney Todd, Once on This Island, The Little Mermaid, Monte Cristo and Chicken & Biscuits. And let's not also forget Norm was on Scandal! Norm is making his return to 54 Below from June 14th to June 20th for his show Broadway and Beyond! To get your tickets, visit 54below.org.We talk with Norm about how he got his start, his many different roles he's played over the years, working on Scandal, his upcoming concert and 54 Below and much more! Also, Norm did give us some exclusives during our conversation...!

The People's Prince™ Bryan Safi has returned to LA after his Austin convention experience just after Spencer Pratt lost his mayoral primary race. Erin's bundled up at home watching Agatha Christie's Poirot and trying to get past all the subtle 80s racism and spit curls. Erin discusses North Carolina Republicans' latest attempt at anti-abortion legislation that deputizes any citizen to use deadly force if necessary to protect the life of unborn children. Bryan tells us about Canadian adult film star Milo Miles' recent 10 year ban from the United States after being detained in Toronto and questioned over two days by US Border Patrol over his line of work and items in his luggage. For our Kim of Queens Recaps and more visit patreon.com/attitudes Bryan's making his Off-Broadway debut July 10-August 15th! Attitudes listeners get $10 off tickets for the first two weeks of the run with code IMSORRY. Get tickets here. ⁠Join our Discord for watch parties, episode discussions and community! ⁠

EP 32 - "Comedy, Courage, and Creativity" | Francesco Paladino | Classically Trained Actor, Writer, Comedian, and ProducerNicole sits down with multi-hyphenate creative Francesco Paladino to unpack a career that spans Off-Broadway, television, film, and ten years on the comedy circuit. From earning his SAG card to studying with master teachers, to writing for others and eventually creating his own films and live showcases, Francesco shares how craft, courage, and continual reinvention fuel a sustainable arts career. He opens up about embracing comedy (even while pursuing serious drama), the spiritual side of creativity (trust, surrender, alignment), and why building safe, positive sets is a non- negotiable. The conversation serves as a masterclass in resilience, networking, mentorship, and mental health for creatives at all stages.

Send us Fan MailDaryl Roth isn't just a Broadway Producer: She's a force to be reckoned with. She produced her first play when she was in her 40s with no previous producing experience and has since produced over 120 Broadway and Off-Broadway plays and musicals, including August Osage County, Proof, Wit, The Normal Heart, Sunset Boulevard, A Raisin in the Sun, The Year of Magical Thinking, and Kinky Boots. Her productions have won 13 Tony Awards and eight Pulitzer Prizes.Daryl's latest was a Tony for Liberation, awarded Best Play of 2026.In this episode of the Crow's Feet: Life As We Age podcast, Roth pulls back the curtain about her role as a Broadway Producer, how she selects the plays she wants to produce (Spoiler alert: it's not all about commercial success!), risk taking, aging and why the word “regret” has no place in her vocabulary. Hosted by Nancy Franklin.Support the show

Nicole Travolta is the creator and star of the critically acclaimed solo show Nicole Travolta Is Doing Alright, a high-energy blend of stand-up, confessional storytelling, and transformational character work that has toured nationally and internationally. Originally developed in Los Angeles, the show has since played sold-out engagements Off-Broadway and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, earning 4- and 5-star reviews and coverage in Vanity Fair Italia, The LA Times, BroadwayWorld, The Daily Beast, Broadway Baby, and Outloud Culture. Travolta trained at The Groundlings and Upright Citizens Brigade, where she developed her signature character-driven style. Onstage, she seamlessly shifts between raw confession and razor-sharp impressions — including Jennifer Coolidge, Carrie Bradshaw, and Drew Barrymore — creating what critics have described as a singular comedic voice. Her television credits include Anger Management, Two and a Half Men, and The Middle. She is currently developing Nicole Travolta Is Doing Alright for screen adaptation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

||: GIRLS :||: CHANCE :||: MUSIC :|| runs at the Vineyard Theatre through June 21st. To learn more, visit www.vineyardtheatre.org. Follow The Present Stage on Instagram at @thepresentstageThe Present Stage: Conversations with Theater Writers is hosted by Dan Rubins, a theater critic for Theatermania and Slant Magazine. You can also find Dan's reviews on Cast Album Reviews and in The New Yorker's Briefly Noted column.The Present Stage supports the national nonprofit Hear Your Song. If you'd like to learn more about Hear Your Song and how to support empowering youth with serious illnesses to make their voices heard though songwriting, please visit www.hearyoursong.org

Wait a minute. We have comedy royalty in The Carriage House this week, pardon me. Joining us is none other than Annie Mumolo!  Of course you know her as the Oscar nominated writer of BRIDESMAIDS, but she's just as prolific in front of the camera in hits like BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR, THIS IS 40, BAD MOMS, and much more. You can catch her now on the new hit series ROOSTER with Steve Carrell on HBO. This is great television! Annie helps Ronna (& Bryan) give advice on how to deal with a spouse showing a little too much attention to someone else at a birthday party and what to do when your boss stinks...literally. Tickets now available for (Bryan)'s Off-Broadway debut ARE YOU MAD AT ME, playing this summer in New York! Go to areyoumadatmeshow.com for tickets, and use code IMSORRY for $10 off the first two weeks of the run. Sponsor: Take comfort in Born Shoes! They're the prefect mix of stye and comfort, and you can get 15% off and free ground shipping on a full priced pair when you go to bornshoes.com and use the promo code RONNA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt reviews the 2026 Off-Broadway return engagement of ‘Mexodus’ Patreon: BroadwayRadiohttps://www.patreon.com/broadwayradio For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@broadwayradio.com and include the episode name. To purchase tickets to see the show, click here:https://mexodusmusical.com/

What happens when heartbreak becomes the starting point for a whole new purpose? In this episode of Unstoppable Mindset, I sit down with Heather Christie, author, educator, entrepreneur, and founder of Love Notes, a storytelling movement built around real stories of real love. Heather shares how commuting alone to New York City as a teenager shaped her independence, why she walked away from her creative dreams after marrying young, and how writing helped her rediscover herself after the end of a 30-year marriage. We explore storytelling, resilience, creativity, publishing, relationships, and the power of authentic human connection. You will hear how Heather transformed loneliness into hope through Love Notes, an off-Broadway storytelling series that is now expanding across the country and helping people reconnect with the many forms love can take. Highlights: 01:25 - Learn how early independence shaped Heather's confidence and resilience. 16:03 - Discover why staying true to yourself matters in life and relationships. 19:29 - Hear how heartbreak inspired a search for real love stories. 27:21 - Learn how writing helped Heather reconnect with her creativity. 32:35 - Discover the mindset that helped her push through years of rejection. 47:17 - Hear what Heather believes is at the heart of real love. About the Guest: Heather Christie is a speaker, writer-producer, educator, and the creator of LoveNotes! — Real Stories. Real People. Real Love.®—an Off-Broadway storytelling show that's expanding through satellite productions alongside an award-winning anthology. An award-winning YA author, she wrote What The Valley Knows and The Lying Season, which debuted as an Amazon #1 bestseller in Young Adult Soccer Fiction. Her essays have appeared in Salon, NextTribe, Writer's Digest, Baltimore Style, Scary Mommy, Elephant Journal, The Good Men Project, Grown & Flown, Baltimore Child, Parent.co, Her View From Home, the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop, and The Lighter Side of Real Estate. Heather holds a BA in Literary Studies from UT-Dallas and an MFA from Pine Manor College. She is CEO of SocRoc Soccer and an adjunct lecturer at the City University of New York. Ways to connect with Heather: Website: www.LoveNotesWorldwide.com & www.HeatherChristieBooks.com Instagram:@_heatherchristie/lovenotes_worldwideFacebook: @heatherchristiebooks / @LoveNotesWorldwideLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-christie-mfa-4b976049/LoveNotes! AnthologyWhat The Valley Knows (book)The Lying Season (book) About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson  00:06 John, thank you for being here with me on Unstoppable Mindset. I hope today's conversation left you with a fresh perspective, a new insight, or at least something worth thinking about. If you're ready to go deeper into the ideas that shape how we see ourselves and others, I have a free gift for you. Head over to Michael hingson.com and download my free ebook, Blinded by Fear. It explores the invisible beliefs that hold us back and shows you how to reframe them, so you can move forward with clarity and confidence. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share this show with someone who can use a reminder that growth starts with mindset. When people think differently, we all move forward together. Thanks again for listening. Keep learning, keep questioning, and keep choosing to live with an unstoppable mindset. Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of Unstoppable Mindset. Today we get the opportunity and the honor of chatting with Heather Christy, and Heather, Heather is an author. She and her brother have formed a company, so she's clearly an entrepreneur. She's acted, she's a keynote speaker, and I don't know what all we're going to find out in the next hour or so, but definitely an exciting person to get a chance to chat with. So, Heather, welcome to Unstoppable Mindset. We're glad you're here. Speaker 1  01:47 Thank you, Michael. I'm so honored that we're going to have a conversation today. Michael Hingson  01:52 And Heather lives in New York City, she lives in Manhattan, or as we all know it, the city. And before we started this, we were talking about the fact that winter is coming everywhere. Ah, well, what do you do as long as you don't get too much snow back there? Speaker 1  02:11 Yeah, the winters have been pretty mild here the last couple years, so see what happens. Michael Hingson  02:16 Yeah, time will tell. Well, why don't we start? Tell us about the early Heather growing up in some of those things. Speaker 1  02:22 Okay, well, as a young person, I, I wanted to be an actress, and I grew up in a really small rural town, about two hours due west of New York City, in Pennsylvania. It's called the Holy Valley. Michael Hingson  02:37 What town? Speaker 1  02:39 Oh, it's called Oli Oley Valley, it's actually a Michael Hingson  02:42 valley. Okay, Speaker 1  02:43 historic site. And so I had a really interesting sort of upbringing, because I, before it was really in vogue, I was on a work-study program, and I would spend half my day in this small Pennsylvania town, and then I would jump on a bus - it was called the Bieber Bus back then - and drive to New York City on the bus, and that was like two to two and a half hours each way, get off in the, you know, huge metropolis of New York City, go on auditions, go sees, or if I had a booking, I'd do the booking, and then I would jump back on the bus and go all the way back to rural Pennsylvania, and that's how I spent like all my high school years was back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, and then I actually graduated early. I graduated halfway through my senior year. I had enough of my credits done that I'd actually, the first half of my senior year, I went to community college, and I took a class in the evenings, so I could be done by Christmas break, and the only requirement I still needed to fulfill was my physical fitness, so I ended up moving to New York City, and then I would take my physical fitness classes at Steps Dance Studio, and then I was still able to graduate with my class in June, but I was living in New York City from January on of what would have been senior year. Yeah, so it was like the early me, and the one thing that was sort of interesting when I was on the work study, my mom was a mathematician, and my dad was a an ER doctor, so they actually tutored me. My mom tutored me in math, and my father tutored me in chemistry. And then, like my history teacher back back in the day, we had Walkmans, and he would record his three lessons on a Walkman, and I would listen to them on the bus back and forth from New York. Michael Hingson  04:43 Yep, Lockmans were the big thing back in time. Sony created a very clever thing, but as with everything, the technology has advanced beyond that. Now Speaker 1  04:58 that's right. Yeah, now my kids. Wouldn't even recognize a Walkman, Michael Hingson  05:02 they wouldn't recognize a cassette either. Speaker 1  05:05 That's right, yeah, it would be like an ancient artifact. Michael Hingson  05:08 What's really strange is there are a lot of people who don't even really know anymore what CDs are. Speaker 1  05:14 That's true, yeah. Michael Hingson  05:16 Much less, well, and DVD is sort of going the same way, it hasn't quite got there, but we, we are new now, moving more into streaming and things like that, but, gee, what a crazy world. Well, so you went through high school, basically commuting to New York. What did your parents think of that? Speaker 1  05:35 Well, I was one of four children, I was the oldest child, and what's remarkable is in the beginning, my mother would go with me, but it was hard to do that, and have you know three other children at home, so by the time I was 15 I was doing it on my own, and when I.. it's just like such a different culture that children are raised in now, there's sort of this idea that we, we can't let them kind of do their own thing, you know, like there's, we're so follow every move and thing they do, but that was like a lot of independence my parents granted me at such a young age, and so they thought, I mean, it was great, and they gave me the support I needed, but at the same time they allowed me to be really independent at a pretty young age. I know when I tell people, "Oh, yeah, I moved to New York City when I was 17 by myself, they're like, "And your parents let you do that? And New York, and this was in the late 80s, early 90s, and New York was like a whole different place, like when I get off the bus at Port Authority back then, like now that whole strip Times Square is kind of sanitized and disified, but back then it was, it was a little rough, Michael Hingson  06:56 it was a lot of X-rated things, and all that, I did some commuting more in the early 90s. I sold products, and I would travel back to New York, because that's where I sold to. I traveled from California, and I remember it was there was a lot of stuff on 42nd Street that was very X-rated, and so on, a lot different than the musical 42nd Street, but that's okay. Speaker 1  07:20 That's right, yeah, Michael Hingson  07:21 but it is a lot, a lot cleaner now than it was, and I remember times I would go out of my hotel and there would be people who would say you really shouldn't be walking around on your own, and why not, and they said, well, because it's pretty dangerous here, and you know, the the angels that that were out there insisted on escorting me everywhere I went, just because they were concerned about me, and I wasn't, although I understand the the situation, but I wasn't going to go in the middle of Central Park at night either, so you know, Speaker 1  07:58 right, and I was a lot the same for me. I remember, though, getting.. I would get off the bus at the Port Authority, for people who know you, New York City, it's on Eighth Avenue, and then I would feel like I wasn't like fully safe until I could get to Lord and Taylor, which was on Sixth Avenue. Yeah, and then it felt like everything got a little bit safer and calmer, the energy changed. Michael Hingson  08:23 Yeah, Speaker 1  08:23 that Michael Hingson  08:24 was a lot different. You could always go to St. Patrick's Cathedral for refuge too. So, but yeah, the Port Authority was an interesting place to go, and I understand. Well, how did.. how did all that affect you, and how did, how does what you did back then kind of affect you in the way you think today, especially with children and so on? Would you give them that same level of independence today? Speaker 1  08:52 That's a really interesting question. And my children are a little older than I was at that time now, but I do think about when they were 15, 1616, years old, and if I'm to answer the question really honestly, I don't know that I would have. I just feel like, and I don't know what's changed about society that makes it that way, that and part of it I think is maybe like the news cycle just is constantly highlighting everything that's wrong and fear based that that's what we see and it's in our faces so much more because we have all this access to it through social media that it it creates sort of this, this like undercurrent in parenting that, that we're, that we're oftentimes afraid, like, what could happen to our children. So, I don't know if I actually would have let them commute like that by themselves, you know? Like, yeah, I don't think I would have. Michael Hingson  09:56 Yeah, it's definitely different now than it was then, and. And I think you're right with especially the news cycle and also in reality there's there's so much gun violence and other stuff going on and I ask people when we talk about it I ask is it really that there's more now or it's just more visible in the news, and I'm not sure that it's just visibility. I think there is more stuff going on, and it's not being stopped nearly as effectively or as aggressively as it should be, and it does make it a scarier world. It's tougher, I think, by far to be a kid now than it was when you were a kid, much less I believe when I was growing up. We just didn't see the kinds of things that we see today, and I don't think it's all just exposure from the news. I think there's there's some truth to the fact that that there are other issues going on, Speaker 1  11:00 right, that it actually is a more dangerous world that we live in. Michael Hingson  11:03 Yeah, and I think that it is something that we do have to think about, and hopefully someday sanity will come back to it all. I agree, I'm of the opinion that eventually it will, but you know, so that's cool. But, but still, we have to do what we do, but I also think that we can't stifle our children, we have to give them the opportunity to grow. It may be that you might, when your children were the age you were, you might have decided, well, one of us just has to go with you all the time, and we're going to just to keep an eye on you, or you have other people that help, but I think being so aggressively smothering that you don't let children grow is a problem too. Speaker 1  11:53 Yeah, I agree. I think that's, I mean, there's that saying, and maybe I'll get it right, or maybe I'll get it wrong here, that we need to give our children roots and wings, Michael Hingson  12:02 yeah, Speaker 1  12:02 and that's the challenge, is to find the balance, Michael Hingson  12:06 yeah. Well, and so for you, you were given a lot of independence. How did that shape kind of your attitude, and how does it shape the way you look at life today? Speaker 1  12:20 Well, that's a really great question, and for all the independence that I had as a young person, and maybe, maybe I was given too much independence in some ways, because I, I ended up marrying very young, and and I often wonder, like, had my parents not given me as much independence, if I would have done that, but yeah, I still think I'm very independent now, and I've tried to instill that in my children as well, and I think they're, they're really great kids, and they've launched really well, which I know is a common problem with today's young adults, is the this sort of inability to to launch, and I, I feel really good. My both my kids have done that and done it well. Michael Hingson  13:15 Well, and all you can do is your best, Speaker 1  13:19 right? Michael Hingson  13:20 I think we don't do this nearly as much as we should, but it ultimately comes down to, you know, kids want all sorts of independence, and so on. Parents are, are.. I'm talking about parents who really think about what they do, they may not want children to have that much independence, but I think the key is that you really need to communicate with your kids and teach them what's going on and why, Speaker 1  13:48 right. I think that's it's to be open and transparent with, with our children is very, and to have like the hard conversations and give them a safe space in which they can speak to Michael Hingson  14:02 the other side of that is that we should hold them to the same standard and say when you have issues and so on, we're here, we're not going to judge you, you need to have the hard conversations with us too. And I don't think we do nearly as much of that. I know when I was growing up, we had a lot of conversations. Of course, I was blind. I've been blind my whole life, and I encountered a lot of different things growing up, and my parents were glad to talk with me about blindness, and glad to talk with me about different things about independence, and it also was true that they allowed me to be independent. I mean, I rode my own bike around the neighborhood, and some other.. I'm not the only blind kid that did that in the world, but in my town I was brand.. and I think that, you know, I'm. Sure, that I was watched, but parents didn't interfere. I mean, I even fell off the bike a couple times until I really learned how to ride it, but they allowed me to have the opportunity to grow, and I think that there is a way to do that without, without, well, without stifling your kids, and that you can, you can let kids grow, and we should really emphasize curiosity a lot more than we do. Speaker 1  15:29 I agree, I think that's really important, is to give kids the space to grow and encourage curiosity. Michael Hingson  15:36 Yeah, we don't probably do that nearly as much as we ought to, well, so you mentioned you got married at 19. Well, I guess that's a little young, but, but you did that, huh? Speaker 1  15:48 I did. Yes, I did. I married young. Michael Hingson  15:54 How did that work out? Speaker 1  15:56 Well, it, it worked out for a little, well, it worked out for a while. I stayed married a really long time, but I eventually divorced 30 years later, and part of that had to do with I was, I did marry young, but my ex-husband also had some addictions that you know in time just became too hard to manage, so that ended the thing, and he Michael Hingson  16:29 wouldn't, and he wouldn't deal with them Speaker 1  16:31 well. At one point, I mean, we'll ask a lot of times in relationship with addicts, you kind of, there are times when they deal with them, and then times when they don't, Michael Hingson  16:39 right? Speaker 1  16:40 Yeah, so ultimately it dissolved. Michael Hingson  16:44 It's too bad when things happen. Speaker 1  16:47 That's right, yeah, but I'm grateful for the the union, because it produced my two great kids. Michael Hingson  16:56 And what, what else did being married for 30 years teach you? Speaker 1  17:01 Well, wow, that's a great question. I think probably it taught me most of all it's a lesson learned, sort of, that you really need to be true to yourself and listen to yourself, because I think deep down we know, and my I was always trying, like, to try harder, if I just try harder, you know, things will get better, but there's part of me deep down that knew I was sort of trying harder for everybody else but myself. And when I left New York, I had given up everything I'd worked on, and in, you know, in hindsight, when I look back, I, it was in a way I sort of abandon all my dreams and hopes, and ultimately I don't think that's a good thing when you give up yourself for someone else. Michael Hingson  17:50 So, after you got married, what did you do? Where did you go? Speaker 1  17:54 Well, my ex-husband was a professional soccer player, so we ended up going around the United States, he played for a couple different teams, and I went to college, and I finished my degree at the University of Texas, and then I, I did a couple things, I was a flight attendant, and I eventually fell into real estate, and worked in real estate for a long, long time, but along the way, I, there was a, there was a point where I kind of really missed that young creative person that I had started out my life as, and I'd always loved books and lacher, and my undergraduate degree was in literary studies, and I started writing stories, and then at midlife went back to graduate school for a master's of fine arts in creative writing, and and started writing. So I was, I was always doing a bunch of things. I was a real estate broker, I was managing a company, and then I was, I was writing, and began writing novels on the side. Michael Hingson  18:58 What was your bachelor's degree in Speaker 1  19:00 literary studies. Michael Hingson  19:02 Oh, okay, Speaker 1  19:03 yeah. Michael Hingson  19:04 So, you never did get degrees in what either of your parents did. Speaker 1  19:09 No, no, no, Michael Hingson  19:10 you weren't that into math. Speaker 1  19:12 No, not at all. No, I always liked words, words. Michael Hingson  19:16 Yeah, I understand. I do pretty well with math, but by the same token, I've been learning more about words, having now written three books, and appreciate it. I also like to collaborate, so when I write, I generally write with someone. I think that the team approach works, at least it does for me, and there are a lot of people who don't use a second person on their team, other than their publishers, editors, and so on, but for me the collaborative way works, which is fine. Speaker 1  19:49 I've had a little bit more experience later now in my creative career, because I've, and maybe we'll talk about this in a little bit, but I've started producing storytelling shows, so I. Work with the storytellers in helping them in their stories, so that's a much more collaborative exercise, and one one I really enjoy. Michael Hingson  20:09 Yeah, well, well, let's, let's, you know, we could talk about it now. What the heck, we don't have to do this in a linear way. Tell me about storytelling. What you think about storytelling. Why is it so important, and so on. Speaker 1  20:25 Well, for me, so the storytelling that I do, I'm working on this project called Love Notes, which real stories by real people about real love, and that came to me during the darkest, loneliest period of my life. It was, you know, after the disillusion of this 30 year marriage, and I was really despondent and, and disillusioned, and thinking, you know, like, does love even exist, and what does it look like, and I just, I just really didn't even believe in love anymore, and being in the storytelling community, I produced some storytelling shows, stories about motherhood. I put out a call to writers and actors and just regular people to share their true love stories, and so from that, people started sending me all these true stories, they had to be 1000 words or fewer, and so to answer your question, like, what does storytelling do in, in this case, I think story, storytelling, it's different than other mediums, like the personal essay or the novel, it's, it's a, it's a testament, it's a first person testament, and what's really great when you see the different storytelling communities around the country is anybody can do it, and so that's part of the beauty of storytelling. Michael Hingson  22:00 I think the key is, though, it has to be a genuine story. Making it up isn't the same thing, Speaker 1  22:06 right? And that's the difference, right? Because people will write a short story or story thing, but in storytelling, you're exactly right, Michael. It needs to be a true story, and that's what makes it so compelling, and I think so relatable, is that people can see themselves in other people's stories, so like in my case it was a way, it was like the evidence, the proof of love, like what it really looks like as it walks around in the world, Michael Hingson  22:36 so that's it, sounds like changed your view of love, and that you believe in love again. I Speaker 1  22:46 do, I do, and it's it, and even like during the first season of Love Notes, because we do an off-Broadway show here in Manhattan, and we have an anthology, a companion anthology. I remember that first year, like some I'd wake up in the morning and just like be not despondent but upset, like, oh, like this doesn't happen. And then literally there was like a little voice in my head that would say, oh well, don't you remember Stacey's story or Sarah's story? And it was like just like the the universe providing this evidence and this this proof and just hearing enough stories and story after story, yeah, it really did fortify my belief in love, and that love is for everyone, and it comes like from all these different angles, and when you least expect it, and it shows up in so many different forms. Michael Hingson  23:43 Yeah, well, and I think there's there's a lot of merit to that. I know when I was writing this last book that I wrote, which is entitled Live Like a Guide Dog: True Stories from a Blind Man and His Dogs, about being brave, overcoming adversity, and moving forward in faith, I spent a lot of time talking about each of the eight guide dogs that I've had and the lessons I learned from them, and also using those lessons in the book to show the importance of different aspects of what happens in our lives, but I have maintained for years I've learned a lot more about life and learned about leadership and teamwork. I've learned a lot more from these dogs than I ever learned from all the experts in the world, and that's primarily because we'll have some interesting observations. One, I allow my dogs to express themselves, but they also learn what the rules are. Because dogs really want to hear from humans, they want humans to set the rules, they want humans to be the pack leaders, by and large, and they want humans to be the ones to say this is what I expect, but when. That relationship forms, and it forms well. There's it's second to none, and you learn so much. Dogs love unconditionally, but they don't trust unconditionally, but they're open to trust, and we're not. And we really should learn to be more open to trust, and just so many different kinds of things. It has really given me a lot of pause to think over the past several years, while we were writing the book, and, and I, and I think about it now. There are a lot of neat stories in there that really ultimately are love stories in one way or another, and I think that makes a lot of sense. Speaker 1  25:36 Oh, that's so.. I'm actually a new dog owner, well, not too new, I.. I'm for the first time in my adult life have a dog, and I just.. it's such a wonderful, like, experience, and it's opened me up to, yeah, like so many different levels of love. Michael Hingson  25:53 Yeah, dogs want to establish a relationship, but as I said, I don't think that they are open to just trusting they do pretty much love unconditionally, unless something just totally traumatizes them. But trusting is a different story, and that's a trust that has to be earned both ways. It's not just us earning their trust, but they're earning our trust, and the people who really take that to heart and develop that relationship and think about it, find that they have a bond that's really second to none. It's as close to knit a team as you could ever find. Speaker 1  26:35 That's beautiful. Michael Hingson  26:37 So, it's a lot of fun. What kind of dog do you have? Speaker 1  26:40 I have, well, because remember I'm in a small New York City. I have a teacup poodle. Michael Hingson  26:46 Oh, so it isn't a Saint Bernard, okay? Speaker 1  26:49 And she's, she's an eye, she's a, she's a character. She, she acts like she's a cross between a teacup and a pit bull when she's in the, when she's out on the street. She does not like she's a scaredy cat on the street. She would prefer to be carried when we're on the street, so she's got sort of a split personality, but she, and she doesn't take too many people. So, just like you were saying, I can identify with that, like the whole trust element, and she's, she only trusts a few people. Michael Hingson  27:25 Yeah, well, trust isn't something that happens overnight. I've maintained for a long time. I think it takes a good year for me when I am meeting a new guide dog. I think it takes a good year for the trust to become so seamless that we really know what each other is thinking, and I think that we really do understand each other. There's a lot of empathy there, Speaker 1  27:52 that's really great. So, Michael Hingson  27:53 I think it's, it is kind of cool. Well, so, but going back to you getting married and all that, so you gave up for a while a lot of your dreams, that that must have, whether it was conscious or not, been a little bit frustrating. Speaker 1  28:08 Yeah, and I didn't realize it at the time. It was only later, like when my younger self sort of came calling, and I had given up a lot for this marriage that didn't really turn out the way I had hoped, and yeah, so writing was a way for me to find myself again, was not only a refuge during that time in my life when I wasn't really happy, but it also really opened up that whole creative part of myself, which felt really good, and it's, you know, it's been something now I've been working on for the last decade and a half, Michael Hingson  28:57 but it sounds like you didn't really, or at least consciously you didn't really know that you were unhappy. Speaker 1  29:03 No, I didn't, and that's a really interesting observation that that you make, because you know, I had my children, I loved my children, and I loved being a mom, and I had a really fulfilling career, but there was something missing, you know, and I wasn't really able to put my finger on that until I started writing, and then it became more and more obvious that, yeah, this is the part that was missing, this, you know, who you had thought you were going to be a creative, you, you had denied that, and you're right, so it wasn't really conscious, but, like, once I sort of, it started to become more noticeable to me, then it sort of came back with a vengeance. Michael Hingson  29:49 How much writing did you do before you got married? Speaker 1  29:53 Before.. well, I really didn't, because I was more in the.. I read a lot. Lot, and, but I was more into that, the acting, so I didn't really, I mean, I would write some really bad poetry, but not anything. I know some writers will say they were writing from the time they were six years old, but I, it didn't come to me till much later. Michael Hingson  30:16 So, what got you started back writing after your marriage ended, what was the trigger that made that happen? Speaker 1  30:25 Writing and the marriage, it was like the last 10 years of, of my marriage, I was writing, and it's, I sort of wrote my, my way out of the marriage in a way, but what was the trigger, and I do remember there wasn't an absolute trigger. I had a friend who had self-published a book. Michael Hingson  30:45 Okay, Speaker 1  30:46 I was like a friend of a friend. And one afternoon, it was a summer afternoon, we were over at her house because she had been hired to go to an elementary school and do a presentation, and so we were brainstorming and about what she could do at this presentation, and I went home from that, and I was like, I felt like so energized again. I was like, wow, well, I could do this, I could write a children's book, and so I sat down, and I wrote this book called Beatrice Bumblebee is busy. I didn't know anything about publishing, and I thought to myself, okay, well, now I'll just write it, and I'll send it to publishers, and I'll get it published. Well, it was promptly rejected by every single publisher, and I knew nothing about the publishing that point, but it was enough of a spark. And then I did start just sort of playing around, and I had this scene in my head of a girl, like a young girl who's been in a car accident, and she's on the side of the road losing consciousness, and she has this terrible secret that she wants to tell her boyfriend, and this, the scene, it was like a dark, wet Pennsylvania night, and it was an autumn, and like, I could see the mist, and so I had written this scene, and I remember giving it to my father, who was a huge reader, and he's like, well, Heather, this is really good. Why don't you keep trying to work on it? And, and so I did, and I love school, so I was like, well, I don't know how to write, like, how can I learn how to write? And then I sort of discovered, oh, well, there's these MFA programs, and so I ended up applying, and and going back to school, and then it was in my MFA program, where I wrote the first draft of my first novel, but yeah, so the actual trigger was a friend who had published a self-published a book, and it really kind of triggered something in me. Michael Hingson  32:38 Whatever happened to Beatrice Bumblebee is busy, Speaker 1  32:41 she is in a drawer, but I do keep.. I have here on my bulletin board. I'll pull it down if we're on camera. I have this little bumblebee, it's like a rhinestone bumblebee that I keep stuck on my bulletin board as just a reminder that the address in my life. Michael Hingson  33:07 Well, are you ever going to publish it? Speaker 1  33:10 Oh, I don't think it's very good, Michael. Michael Hingson  33:12 Okay, well, maybe you should go back and rewrite it, but Speaker 1  33:16 then, and maybe if I have grandchildren someday, maybe I'll, I'll be, yeah, that's kind of interesting that you say that. Maybe I will go back and just look at it. It would be fun to look at it all these years later. Michael Hingson  33:32 Yeah, well, so you got rejected a whole bunch, which is a pretty common story. What did you learn from that? Speaker 1  33:42 Well, and I do, I do talks at different places, and one of the talks I say is I started with the, you know, Calvin Coolidge said most of humanity's problems can be solved with two simple words, press on, and and that's what I learned through the process. My first book was on submission for like 520 weeks before it finally found a publisher, and it was every degree of rejection that you can get when you're publishing, you know, I'm, and for people who understand the publishing hierarchy, you know, the coveted placement is to land a book deal with one of the big five traditional publishers, and then from there it works its way way down, and we had gotten close on some of the big fives and other places where we'd made it to acquisitions, and we finally ended up with a small indie publisher, but it took so long, and it was so soul crushing in a way, and not so much the first book, and the first book I was still like super, super hopeful, and then once it was published, it did go on, and it won the new. National Indy Excellence Award, and I kind of was always thinking of it as a, you know, a stepping stone, a stepping stone, and that the second book would, would land the big publishing deal, and the second book took just as long, and it ended up right back with the same publisher, so the rejection taught me, yeah, that you just need to keep going. I mean, sometimes people hit really easily, or you know, the way the wind's blowing that day, whatever's on trend or top of mind, and, and sometimes it doesn't, but you have to do it because you, you love it, and you're called to do it. Michael Hingson  35:46 When you were getting rejected, did you get any substantive feedback that helped, or do do publishers do much of that? Speaker 1  35:54 Well, actually, I did, especially on my second book, and on the first book, too, it depends how interested they are in the book, and I did have a couple that were pretty interested and gave what's called like an editorial letter, and oftentimes they won't even do that unless you're under contract, but I did have a couple that had liked it enough, so on my second book, especially my agent and I then took that information and did some like hard edits and rewrites, but that's not always the case. I mean, and I have a lot of friends who are also in the business, sometimes you don't get any, any feedback. Michael Hingson  36:39 So now all together, how many books have you written? Speaker 1  36:42 Well, I've written two, and then I've edited and curated the anthology, the Love Notes anthology, Michael Hingson  36:48 right? Speaker 1  36:49 Which, and I've written a small bit of that. Um, yeah, so I'd like to say three books. Michael Hingson  36:54 Are there more books in you? Okay, Speaker 1  36:58 for sure. We have, you know, we'll. well, first, the second, the second Love Notes edition, I'm definitely editing and curating the stories for that, and that's through a small publisher. And then I have been really sort of toying around with, like, what's my next book, and my first two books were young adult romance, mystery, and thriller, and I kind of think I'm done with that genre, so I have talked about an adult, adult fiction, or even a that would go kind of hand in hand with Love Notes, the my story type of book, you know, rebuilding after divorce and being on, you know, what the space that love notes came out of, and going on, you know, hundreds of dates, and what that, that looked like, but that's in a very sort of nebulous state. It Michael Hingson  37:54 will be fun to see what happens. You'll have to keep us all posted, Speaker 1  37:58 yeah, for sure. Michael Hingson  38:00 But you've, you've described your creative journey, your whole creative journey is basically transforming heartbreak into healing. Tell me more about that. Speaker 1  38:14 Yeah, like I touched on earlier, Love Notes came out as sort of this really dark, lonely time in my life. My 30 year marriage had ended. My children had both left for college, and I'd relocated to New York City. So I was living alone for the first time in my adult lifetime. I was 19 years old, and New York can be a really.. for as many people who live here, it can be a really lonely place. I was really, really starting over, and I started dating at midlife, is, you know, it's not for the faint of heart, and I was going on a lot of dates, and just really discouraged by the whole process, and, like, I had sort of mentioned earlier, that's where I kind of was like almost indignant, like you know, I want proof, like show me proof that that love is real, and and that's where this this call to like look for people's love stories came from, so I do say it, it truly came out of a place of of loneliness and darkness, and then hope, though, too. You know, I was hoping I wanted to, I wanted, I wanted the stories to give me proof. I wanted them to be the evidence, and then, and then that sort of became a calling that, well, then I want to share that with other people and give other people hope, and that's been the most gratifying part for me is when somebody like they come to the show and the shows are really great, these storytelling shows, and now I've started to franchise them, so we have them popping up in some other cities, and I've gone around to some of the other cities, in fact, if you have any listeners who. When I produce a love note show, but the audience members, they're like, "Oh, wow, this, this was.. they don't expect it, first of all, coming into it, and everybody walks out feeling good, and that is like so gratifying to me, that, like, you know, in this, in these like divisive times, that they can come to a show, they can recognize part of the human experience, and they can walk out feeling uplifted and Speaker 2  40:25 hopeful, and that some readers, Speaker 1  40:27 you know, in the book do that too, like having read the book, and someone will reach out and say, "Oh, well, that just really gave me hope. So, hope that answers the question a little bit. Michael Hingson  40:40 Does it? Does it? Does get so the two books that you've written are what the Valley Knows and The Lying Season. Tell me more about those. What the interesting titles, to say the least. Speaker 1  40:52 Yeah, okay, so the both books are they're not ones, they're not a sequel and a prequel, but I would call them a series, because they're both in this fictional town of Millington Valley, which is much like the small town I grew up in, the Oley Valley, and it's all set around this high school, so the peripheral characters in the book stay the same, like the English teacher and the principal, but the kids, you know, because kids are only in high school for four years at a time, so different kids kind of like move through both of the books, they're both mysteries or are thrillers, and they both have like a big kind of like moral question at their center, both sent it set in this Millington Valley, which is a small Pennsylvania town, Michael Hingson  41:45 right? And they're, they're for juveniles, primarily. You said, I think, right. Speaker 1  41:52 Well, they are. They'd be considered young adults. What the valley knows, that's told from three point of views: two kids, and then one of the kids' mothers, so it has a lot of crossover appeal. So you and that book originally started at six point of views, and that was when I was in graduate school, and I remember my professor saying to me, Well, Heather, that's that's just too ambitious to try to do for your first book, you need to cut it down, and, and just whoever's story has to be there, that's the point of view you, you include, and so it kind of fell into the young adult category by accident, but I have a lot of adult readers who, who it really resonates as well, Michael Hingson  42:43 yeah. You know, I know a lot of people say, especially the early ones, the Harry Potter books are for more young adults, and so on, but I certainly had no problem enjoying them as a full-fledged, real-life middle-aged adult. So I think there's a lot that we can learn by stretching and not necessarily just falling into the trap of reading one kind or, or one sort of book that's, oh, this is for more adults or this is more for for children. Think there's a lot to be learned all the way around. Speaker 1  43:17 I think you're, you're right, Michael, and that's it's kind of like a modern thing that we do, like classifying books as adult fiction, like when we think about Catcher in the Rye, like what would that be considered now? Because the protagonist is a young adult, would it be considered a young adult book? But yeah, that's a really great point that you're making. Michael Hingson  43:40 Well, so you, you wrote these books, and you said that, so they've been published, and I assume they're out there. Do you know if they're audio books also? Speaker 1  43:52 Well, yes, and but here's the thing, I, because I didn't get to pick the publisher, I mean, the, you know, I didn't get to pick the narrator, so the what they both, okay, so what the bally knows is narrated. Yes, I don't like the narrator's voice. I know that's a terrible thing to say, because I would love for people to go and listen to the audio book, but I don't know, and maybe it's just me. And then the second book the publisher actually used like an AI kind of, I don't know exactly how it works, and I didn't really even know it happened till I went on Amazon one day, I was like, oh, they made an audio book of this, and it was in like an AI voice, so, so the answer is yes. Both of them are on audiobook. Love Notes is not the other bar. Michael Hingson  44:49 It's interesting, I'm on several lists that deal with audio books, and so on, and I hear people talking or. Emailing on the list all the time, and what people have often said is nonfiction books that are not what they're necessarily as much into as fiction books, they don't mind it being an AI voice, but when they're reading good fiction, where they really want to be absorbed, AI and synthetic voices text to speech just doesn't do it, and in fact I buy into that. I agree with that. I don't think that we have yet gotten computer synthesized voices to really take the place of human readers, and I don't know that we ever totally will, because we're so used to what people sound like, but it is an interesting thing that does come up. Speaker 1  45:47 Yeah, I agree with you. Michael Hingson  45:50 So, I prefer human readers in general. I've never been as great a fan of having a synthetic voice. Nothing against computers, but they just don't talk as well as humans do. Speaker 1  46:03 No, I agree with you too. I much prefer the human voice. Michael Hingson  46:09 Well, so you, when did you start writing love notes? When did that really start coming to fruition? Speaker 1  46:17 Well, love notes. We're coming into our third off-Broadway season this Valentine's Day, so it started that would, so it was started in 22 Michael Hingson  46:27 Oh, yeah. Okay, Speaker 1  46:29 so it's a relatively young project. We're going into our third year, but I'm super excited. We just cast the show for this upcoming performance, and that's really exciting. We have, you know, a bunch of local New Yorkers, but then we also have about the cast is 12 members, and six of them are from other parts of the country, so it's, it's got a, you know, flavor from from from all over. Michael Hingson  46:57 Now, is Love Notes available in any way online, or is it strictly just the shows, and they're not recorded and disseminated in any way. The Speaker 1  47:06 the all-star show, which is Valentine's Day at Symphony Space in New York City, the APM show is live streamed. Yeah, so it can be enjoyed from anywhere in the world. Michael Hingson  47:19 Okay, but outside of that one being live streamed, are there recordings of any of the shows that are out there for people to hear? Speaker 1  47:28 There are on my website, actually. Both the 2023 show and the 2024 show are available for resale. I think it's like $15 and you can, you can watch it's like it's a great, like date night kind of thing to watch the Love Notes show. Michael Hingson  47:48 Okay. Well, so from all that you have heard and seen and interacted with in doing Love Notes, how do you define real love today? Speaker 1  48:01 Oh that's it. Oh, Michael Hingson  48:03 that for a question out of left field. Yeah, Speaker 1  48:06 that's a great question. How do I define real love? So, I think real love shows up in a lot of different ways, and it.. and what's interesting in love notes, is I've seen all sorts of examples of it. I've seen the type of real love that ignites people when they're young, you know. Speaker 3  48:31 We'll love Speaker 1  48:31 that's the other thing people will say, "Oh, well, you were too young, that's why it didn't work out. But I don't think that's necessarily true. I think I think a little bit sometimes is luck of the draw, but the I've seen examples of people who met when they were 20 years old, and they've stayed together their entire lives, and that shows up in commitment and the ability to grow up together and to grow and evolve together, so I think real love shows up like that, but I've also seen real love, like the second time around type of love, and that sort of love, where people really need to be able to integrate their past and understand they're both two people carrying bags, and now they're going to carry those bags together, and so that shows up in a different way. Real love, and I've even seen it love showing up for people like in their 80s, third time around, or having never had partnered, and finding a partner very late in life, and that shows up in a whole different way, that's absolutely real too, but I think at the core of all types of real love is one, the ability to both people have to want the relationship, and they have. To be willing to work for the relationship, it's not just like what I want or you want, but it's oftentimes if they can ask the question, like what's the problem, and how is are we a team against the problem, or to be able to solve the problem, and I think that's sort of like the realist type of love that's out there, Michael Hingson  50:26 and I would, would also say it goes back to something we talked about earlier with, with dogs, dogs are are very much open to and do love unconditionally, and when we develop that kind of a relationship, it's as strong as any other kind of relationship that we can develop. When both sides of that relationship sense it and know it, it creates a bond that's, as I said earlier, second to none. Speaker 1  50:58 Yeah, that's a really great way of putting Michael Hingson  51:02 it. I would, I would not want to do anything to betray my guide dog or any of the guide dogs that I've had, but I've learned how to create those teams, and I think that's very important. One thing that that sticks in my mind dealing with dogs is when I lived in Northern California, we were very close to the Marin Humane Society, which is one of the more famous organizations of that type in the world. We were talking to one of the people at the Marin Humane Society one day, and they were talking about the fact that they're growing in class sizes and growing in the number of classes that they have to offer, but what they also point out is that 90% of the training isn't training the dog, it's training the human, which is really true. There's so much that humans don't really work to develop the relationship that they should, and that if they really truly understood it, it would, it would be a whole lot different relationship that they would experience, Speaker 1  52:05 yeah, that's a really nice way of looking at it. Michael Hingson  52:10 Well, so you have love notes that are growing by loops and bounds in a lot of ways, and you have, how many different places are doing the shows now? Speaker 1  52:24 Well, so far we have Indianapolis, Chicago, Redding, Pennsylvania, and then we have another Pennsylvania city, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and we're in talks right now with Atlanta, Georgia, and Tampa, Florida. Michael Hingson  52:42 Wow, so it's growing, Speaker 1  52:45 it's growing, it's starting to spread. We're starting to spread some love. Michael Hingson  52:51 I get it. What do you think about that? Speaker 1  52:54 I think it's great. Like, I hope I'd love to see one in every city. Such a nice event that really brings the community together. Michael Hingson  53:04 So, how often do the shows run? Is it just like on Valentine's Day, or do they go throughout the whole year? Speaker 1  53:10 It can be any time of year, and it's usually just a one-day event. Sometimes there's multiple shows on one day, but yeah, it's just a one day. Oftentimes the local producer will partner with a local charity, so we try to give back in that way too, and they can choose the charity they want, or, or sometimes they're trying to fund like a scholarship fund, or or something like that. I do encourage that, and and we have like a mastermind group among the producers just trying to support each other as creative entrepreneurs. Michael Hingson  53:46 Well, you're you're seeing a lot of success with it. What kind of surprises have you experienced? This must be kind of a thrill, and a lot of, a lot of surprises for you. Speaker 1  53:58 Well, one of the surprises. well, I'm not surprised by it anymore, but I, I can, I'm certain, always surprised when I have a cast member who, at the very last minute, you know, they've gone through all the rehearsals, all the prep work, all the editing, and then at the very last second they pull out of the show, I've had that happen each show, so now I know how to plan for it, and know how to prepare, you know, producers for it. But yeah, that, that's always surprising to me. Michael Hingson  54:34 It's an adventure, isn't it? Speaker 1  54:35 Sure is. Yeah, gotta sing quickly on your feet. Michael Hingson  54:39 Yeah, you definitely have to do that. Tell us a little bit about Socroc, the company you and your brother formed, and what that's all about. Speaker 1  54:47 Sure, well, my brother was a professional soccer player, and he, when he retired, he moved to Manhattan, thinking he was going to be an actor, and as most actors. Oh, they need a second job to support themselves. Yeah, so became a personal trainer, and he was personal training, and some of his clients got word that he'd been a professional soccer player, and they begged him, they're like, can you teach our kids soccer? So it kind of happened by accident, and just a few balls and cones in Central Park, teaching soccer to little kids, and over the years it's grown and grown and grown and grown. We're in our like 20th year, and so during it was like maybe five years ago, he, it just got out of hand, like it was getting too big, and he needed help, and that was when I had gone through the divorce, and I like explained I'd been in business before, and I wanted a change, so he offered me, you know, a position to come and help him and run, so I run the business side of the soccer, and he runs the soccer side, and we're all throughout Manhattan, we, we do public classes in the parks and playgrounds, and then, like, now in the winter time, we rent space all around the city, and then we also partner with private schools and public schools throughout the city, and we do birthday parties and personal training, and we're starting a kids of all abilities program, and that's that's like our new initiative right now, and and then the spring we're expanding into actually into basketball too, BB Rock, we're calling Michael Hingson  56:29 it. Oh, that's cool. Well, you're doing a lot of different things, you speak, you're an author, you're an educator. We haven't talked about, I guess it's you work with Speaker 1  56:39 SUNY. I teach at the City University of New York, which is part of SUNY, and that work I really love. Yeah, Michael Hingson  56:47 tell, tell me about that. Then, Speaker 1  56:49 so they have an initiative, it's through the Manhattan Educational Opportunity Center, and SUNY provides grants for adult students returning who need to get their high school epilepticy, their GED. So I teach writing the writing section of the GED, and this I - these are the students I like the most, and I've taught at all levels, from freshman comp all the way up to graduate level MFA, and it's the GED adult student that I enjoy the most. So, I'll, when I, when I'm done with you, I actually will zoom up to Harlem, and I'll be teaching GED time tonight. Michael Hingson  57:35 Okay. Well, you're doing all of these different things. How do you keep yourself grounded, and how do you keep the creative juices going? Speaker 1  57:44 Well, that can sometimes be a challenge. Michael Hingson  57:46 I bet, Speaker 1  57:47 but I do. I exercise. That's one thing I really, I love to exercise, and I'm getting better at just taking time for myself, but I also feel like what I do isn't work, like I enjoy what I do, so I always try to bring a sense of gratitude to each day in that way. Michael Hingson  58:13 Yeah, well, and taking time for yourself is is important to do, and and now you have a teacup poodle to share it with, and I'll bet you guys have some interesting conversations. Speaker 1  58:26 Yeah, we sure do. She's a cutie, she's just lying on the little chair right over here. Michael Hingson  58:33 Yeah, my, my dog is over here on his bed, so he, he, he monitors me. Speaker 1  58:41 Yeah, she's been really good, because sometimes when I'm on the Zoom like this, she, she'll start to bark. She doesn't like paying attention to somebody else. Michael Hingson  58:48 Well, one of these days we'll have to end up in Manhattan and come and meet her. Speaker 1  58:54 That sounds Michael Hingson  58:55 be kind of fun. Speaker 1  58:57 That sure would. Michael Hingson  58:58 Well, so tell me, what's next for you? What do you envision going forward from here? Speaker 1  59:04 Well, my hope is actually, I would love, because there have so much fodder now, all these different stories, love stories. My hope is to launch a podcast, a Love Notes podcast that would feature the storyteller and their story, and then I would do an interview of the story behind the story, because people always have questions. They'll hear a story, or they'll read the story, and it's really short. It's like 700 or 1000 words, and they'll always want to know, like, well, what happened to them, or how did that end up. So I envisioned this podcast of love notes, real stories by real people about real love, and that would be like the the meat of it, and then they're at the end of each one, there'd be like a love letter, and people could write love letters that would be shared on the podcast, and tell Michael Hingson  59:55 me, Speaker 1  59:56 you know, like, dear Michael, this is why I love you, and then it would be a. Letter, so that's that's I'd like to see more satellite cities. I'd like to get the next edition of the book out, and then launch the podcast by Trifecta. Michael Hingson  1:00:13 Lots going on, needless to say. Well, if people want to reach out to you, talk about creating their own love notes, or as you said, you'd love to find people who want to help produce in various cities. How do they do that? Speaker 1  1:00:27 Well, probably the easiest thing to do is first, if they just want to learn more about the project in general, would just be to check out the website, and that's at www dot Love Notes worldwide.com and from there, then you can, you can get a hold of me, but I'll give my email address also, it's Heather at Heather Christy, C H R I s t i e books.com so either just hit the website or send me an email directly, and I, yeah, I'd love to talk to anybody who's got a story they want to share, or anyone who's thinking like maybe they'd love to bring a love notes to their community. Michael Hingson  1:01:19 Cool. Well, I hope people will reach out and that you'll get lots of interest from our podcast. It's a, it's a fun thing, and I hope that people will respond. So, all of you out there, email Heather. Speaker 1  1:01:34 That sounds great. And my last little plug: if anybody would love to watch the Love Notes show on January, february 14 for Valentine's Day. You can find that information on the website too. Michael Hingson  1:01:48 What I'm trying to remember, what day of the week february 14 is going to be in 2026 Speaker 1  1:01:53 It's a Michael Hingson  1:01:54 Saturday, great day to Speaker 1  1:01:57 do it. So you can watch it, and actually the live stream will stay live for a week, so if you're not able to watch it that night, you can watch it during the week. Michael Hingson  1:02:05 Oh, cool. Well, I hope people will do that, and I want to thank you for being here. But I want to thank all of you out there for being a part of this today. Heather has had a lot of interesting things to say, and I hope that you'll help her and help yourself by helping her to be more successful. I'd love to hear from you. We'd love to hear your thoughts. Please feel free to email me at Michael H i@accessibe.com that's M I C H A E L H I at Accessi B A C C E S S I B e.com We'd love it and would greatly appreciate it if wherever you are listening or watching the podcast, if you'll give us a five star review, but also, or a rating, but also give us a review. We love reviews, we appreciate reviews, and we really value all the people who have done it so far, and we ask that you do it again, or you do it for the first time. So, please let us know what you think by writing reviews. If you know anyone who ought to be a guest, we'd love it if you'd let us know. Heather, you as well. Anyone that you think ought to be a guest on Unstoppable Mindset, we would really love to be introduced. My belief is everyone has stories to tell, so don't be shy. We'd love to hear from you. But Heather, once again, I want to thank you for being here. This has been absolutely wonderful. Speaker 1  1:03:26 Thank you so much, Michael. It's been so much fun to talk to you this afternoon. Michael Hingson  1:03:32 What if the biggest thing holding you back isn't what's in front of you, but rather what you believe? Welcome to Unstoppable Mindset, where inclusion, diversity, and the unexpected meet. I'm your host, Michael Hingson, speaker, author, and advocate for inclusion and possibilities. This podcast explores how the beliefs we carry shape the way we live, lead, and connect with others each week. I talk with people who challenge assumptions, face adversity head on, and show what's possible when we choose curiosity over fear. Together, we focus on mindset, resilience, and the small shifts that lead to meaningful change. Let's get started, 1:04:24 I.

Alexandra is an artist, educator, and somatic guide working with movement as a way to access creative authority, embodied clarity, and deep personal voice. Her work supports artists, teachers, activists, facilitators, and guides to strengthen their inner compass while leading, creating, and communicating. She is fascinated by how decision-making lives in the body: how gesture holds belief, habit becomes pedagogy, and intuition is a fluent language.She is a choreographer, director, and educator working at the intersection of dance, theater, and somatics and was a member of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company from 1995–2001. She founded Alexandra Beller/Dances in 2002, creating more than forty dance-theater works across the U.S., Europe, and Asia.Her theater credits include Off-Broadway productions of Sense and Sensibility (Folger Shakespeare, A.R.T., Portland Center Stage; Helen Hayes Award, Lortel nomination), How to Transcend a Happy Marriage (Lincoln Center Theater), and The Mad Ones, as well as regional work with Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, La MaMa, La Jolla Playhouse, Milwaukee Rep, and The Goodman Theatre. Her directing credits include Macbeth (Theater Row) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (92Y).She has taught at institutions including Barnard, SUNY Purchase, Rutgers, UC Santa Barbara, the University of Michigan, The New School, and Princeton University, where she taught for seven years. Alexandra currently serves on faculty at the Laban Institute for Movement Studies and Gibney Dance Center and teach internationally through residencies and master classes. Her forthcoming books are The Embodied Conductor: A Somatic Approach with Laban and Bartenieff (Meredith Music, 2025) and The Anatomy of Art: Unlocking the Creative Process for Theater and Dance (Bloomsbury, 2026). You can get her books at alexandrabellerdances.org.This was an inspired episode. Give it a listen!This episode, like all episodes of If This Is True, brings forth what drives creatives to do what they do. For more of this content and interaction, you can also go to my substack, coolmite25.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt reviews the 2026 Off-Broadway immersive ‘Phantom of the Opera’ production ‘Masquerade’ Patreon: BroadwayRadiohttps://www.patreon.com/broadwayradio For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@broadwayradio.com and include the episode name. To purchase tickets to see the show, click here:https://masqueradenyc.com/

Hey guys! Vicky and I are in Charleston, SC for vacation this week. We are re-releasing our Chris Briney "Dilaria" review from June of 2025. It was a funny play and CB killed it. Plus, it was almost a year ago exactly! Thank you all for your support :)Please leave a rating or review if you enjoy the show!Join our Patreon for $3.99/mohttps://www.patreon.com/c/BetterWithGlassesPodcast

Matt reviews the 2026 Off-Broadway revival of ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’ Patreon: BroadwayRadiohttps://www.patreon.com/broadwayradio For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@broadwayradio.com and include the episode name. To purchase tickets to see the show, click here:https://spellingbeenyc.com/

It's another Carriage House Catch-Up, dybbuks and all! After everything you'd ever need to know about Jewish exorcisms, Ronna (& Bryan) give advice on whether or not it's ok to wear a Jewish head scarf if you're not Jewish, what to do if you're booked on the most infamous cruise line in the world, and how to handle spilling a coworker's secret. (Bryan)'s Off-Broadway debut is coming up in July, and if you're in New York it is NOT to be missed! ARE YOU MAD AT ME, a smash hit at Edinburgh, is coming back to the Big Apple bigger and better than ever. Go to areyoumadatmeshow.com and use code IMSORRY for $10 off your ticket to the first two weeks of the run, available exclusively to listeners of Ask Ronna! Sponsor: Take comfort in Born Shoes! They're the prefect mix of stye and comfort, and you can get 15% off and free ground shipping on a full priced pair when you go to bornshoes.com and use the promo code RONNA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest today, Christine Pedi is known as the “Lady of 1000 Voices." She discovered her talent for multiple personalities through her long association with the legendary Off-Broadway revue, Forbidden Broadway, performing in companies all over the world, including New York, London, Japan, Singapore, and more. Among the dozens of personalities Christine is known to impersonate are: Liza Minelli, Rosie Perez, Ethel Merman, Angela Lansbury, Bernadette Peters, Julie Andrews, Katherine Hepburn and many, many others.She's received a Drama Desk nomination, as well as an L.A. Ovation & NAACP Award for her work.On Broadway, Christine debuted in Little Me with Martin Short and Faith Prince, directed by a favorite StoryBeat guest, Rob Marshall. Other Broadway appearances include several peculiar offstage callers in Eric Bogosian's Talk Radio, starring Liev Schreiber, and a turn as Mama Morton in the long-running hit, Chicago.She brought her collection of divas to Off-Broadway's Newsical the Musical, and starred in Spamilton: An American Parody, which she also co-produced.And many of you will know Christine from her long-running daily SiriusXM Radio show Broadway Breakfast on the On Broadway channel playing music of the stage & screen and interviewing Show Biz legends Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm. On Saturdays she and Seth Rudetsky co-host Dueling Divas.  And fans of Howard Stern can hear her provide the occasional celebrity voice on his SiriusXM morning show.Other Off-Broadway performances include: the title role in Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating Mating and Marriage, A Broadway Diva Christmas, Jerry's Girls, and My Favorite Year.Christine's performed her cabaret show, Great Dames, at many major New York venues, winning both the New York Bistro & Nitelife Awards. Her holiday show, There's No Bizness Like Snow Bizness, has been an annual New York staple since 2008. She's even performed for President & Mrs. Clinton, playing a singing Hillary!On TV, you may recognize Christine on The Sopranos as Mrs. Bobby Baccala (4 scenes, 5 lines...dead). But she recently escaped the clutches of Dr. Death on NBC.Be sure to check out Christine's popular, hilarious videos on YouTube, especially her “Shit Liza Says” videos. It's brilliant, laugh-out-loud stuff.Last but not least, and closest to my heart, Christine can be found singing on the well-regarded 1994 double-CD Complete Work recording of Jekyll & Hyde, the Musical, featuring Anthony Warlow, Linda Eder and Carolee Carmello.

Part revenge thriller, part Greek tragedy, and fully its own thing, Aleshea Harris's directorial debut is an adaptation of her own award-winning Off-Broadway show. We have Geek Girl Riot's Sherin Nicole with us to talk about all the twists, turns, and treacheries. Then we have a fun quiz about “twin” movies. What's Good? Alonso - Farmers markets (even for non-chefs) Drea - Richard Osman's House of Games Sherin - nephew's elementary school graduation Kevin - the gasman came by… ITIDICSweeney/Seyfried Thriller The Housemaid Is Headed to the StageDiscourse Around American Accents in Nolan's The Odyssey Trailer Staff Picks Alonso - The Addiction of Hope Drea - Mile End Kicks Sherin - Nine Days Kevin - Obsession Listen to Sherin's show Geek Girl Riot Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinmaxfilm Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or LetterboxdWithKevin AveryDrea ClarkAlonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa FlaxbartSr. Producer Laura Swisher

Kathryn Grody is an actor, writer, and producer whose work spans Broadway, Off Broadway, film, and television. Her solo shows blend humor, vulnerability, sharp cultural observation, and deeply personal storytelling. Kathryn's current play, The Unexpected 3rd: A Radical, Rollicking Rumination on the Optimism of Staying Alive, directed by Timothy Near, is part of the In The Bricks Festival at New York Theatre Workshop. The repertory series features original solo performances by a wide range of artists including Liza Jessie Peterson (The Peculiar Patriot), Leslie Ayvazian (Mention My Beauty), Chris Grace (Sardines (A Comedy About Death)), and Alaa Shehada (The Horse of Jenin). This episode was recorded on May 20, 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About Time ran at the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater through April 5th. For more information, visit www.abouttimemusical.com. Follow The Present Stage on Instagram at @thepresentstageThe Present Stage: Conversations with Theater Writers is hosted by Dan Rubins, a theater critic for Theatermania and Slant Magazine. You can also find Dan's reviews on Cast Album Reviews and in The New Yorker's Briefly Noted column.The Present Stage supports the national nonprofit Hear Your Song. If you'd like to learn more about Hear Your Song and how to support empowering youth with serious illnesses to make their voices heard though songwriting, please visit www.hearyoursong.org

Well, I'll Let You Go runs at Studio Seaview through June 20th. For more information, please visit www.studioseaview.com. Follow The Present Stage on Instagram at @thepresentstageThe Present Stage: Conversations with Theater Writers is hosted by Dan Rubins, a theater critic for Theatermania and Slant Magazine. You can also find Dan's reviews on Cast Album Reviews and in The New Yorker's Briefly Noted column.The Present Stage supports the national nonprofit Hear Your Song. If you'd like to learn more about Hear Your Song and how to support empowering youth with serious illnesses to make their voices heard though songwriting, please visit www.hearyoursong.org

Ronna might be having a hard day, but she's looks amazing, pardon me. As if there were any doubt. We've got a Carriage House Catch-Up this week, with everything you ever needed to know about colonoscopy scandals and how everyone who works on the show is probably trying to sabotage Ronna. Then R (& B) give advice on a wedding dilemma and whether or not to host a SECOND gender reveal party. Thanks to everyone who joined us at last weekend's AR Social Club Spring Kiki! You all gave your best Gina Lollobrigida. arsocialclub.com  Also, our dear (Bryan) is having his Off-Broadway debut this summer, pardon me! His show ARE YOU MAD AT ME will play six weeks only at the HERE Arts Center in SoHo! Tickets on sale today at areyoumadatmeshow.com and, available exclusively to Ask Ronna listeners, you can use code IMSORRY for $10 off your ticket for the first two weeks of the run! Sponsors: Want modern-day makeup that's clean, strategic, and multi-functional for effortless routines? We absolutely love Jones Road Beauty! Go to jonesroadbeauty.com and use code RONNA for a FREE GIFT with your first purchase! Take comfort in Born Shoes! They're the prefect mix of stye and comfort, and you can get 15% off and free ground shipping on a full priced pair when you go to bornshoes.com and use the promo code RONNA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess is joined by playwright and "male actress" CHARLES BUSCH! Topics include: ROSIE O'DONNELL producing the disastrous Boy George musical 'Taboo,' performing at The Duplex in the late 70s, becoming close with JOAN RIVERS, the chaos of interviewing LIZA, working with NATASHA LYONNE, and how 'Vampire Lesbians of Sodom' became one of the longest-running Off-Broadway plays of all time. ⭐ Night of 1000 Judys: June 1 @Joe's Pub * all donations benefit The Ali Forney Center * ⭐ IG: @jessxnyc ⭐ Jess' docu-series on the history, mystique & lore of Fire Island — Finding Fire Island

Elizabeth Gillies (Dynasty) is here to celebrate 200 episodes of The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul podcast! Welcome to AOK 200, friends. To celebrate this milestone, actress, singer, Broadway star, and Ginger Ale's #1 fan Liz Gillies joins Robert in the Welcome to Times Square studio for a wildly fun and heartfelt conversation. From acts of kindness on the set of Dynasty and backstage at Little Shop of Horrors on Broadway to what we can learn from older generations, Liz reminds us why honesty may be the kindest act of all. The two Jersey kids dive deep into kind waters, covering everything from child acting, Broadway mishaps, and comfort TV shows all the way to witchy intuition, social media chaos, backstage hijinks, and the emotional support powers of - you guessed it - Canada Dry ginger ale. This positive podcast episode features: The life-changing sacrifices Liz's parents made for her as child actor Liz's future Broadway dream roles, including Winifred in Hocus Pocus the musical and an immersive Dynasty musical? Special surprises from her star friends Seth MacFarlane and Elaine Hendrix Plus: ADHD tangents, disco naps, miniatures, Real Housewives, Love on the Spectrum, and one very ambitious immersive Dynasty pitch. This episode is positively unhinged in the best way — a reminder that kindness is simply showing up. A big shoutout to friends of the AOK who made this episode possible, namely: Kindness is Free empowers the next generation of youth by instilling the values of respect, equality and compassion for others. Powered by Welcome to Times Square, the billboard experience that lets YOU be a star for a day. Special shoutout to our favorite Schmackary's Cookies and longtime listener Jen of Jen's Pretty Pegs, who helped us surprise Liz with a beautiful kind act. For a hand-painted and whimsical keepsake like Liz's check out Jen's art at: www.jensprettypegs.com. ELIZABETH GILLIES is an actress, singer and director known for her roles as ‘Fallon Carrington' in​ the popular Netflix series, Dynasty and ‘Jade West' in the generation defining Nickelodeon​ series, Victorious. Gillies returned to her Broadway roots last year, starring in the acclaimed Off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors as “Audrey”. A few of her TV credits include The​ Hunting Party, The Orville, White Collar, Family Guy and the FX series,​ Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll where she starred opposite Denis Leary for two seasons. On the film​ side, Gillies can be seen in Vacation, Arizona, Animal, Catwoman: Hunted and Spread, which​ she also produced. In addition to her acting career, Gillies is a singer who performs regularly to​ sold out audiences across the country. She has two records out with her longtime friend and​ collaborator, Seth MacFarlane. Got kindness tips or stories? Please email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠artofkindnesspodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Liz: ⁠⁠⁠@lizgillz Follow us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@artofkindnesspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@robpeterpaul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! (⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theaok⁠⁠⁠) Music: "Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio. We are supported by the Broadway Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Formula One Kit Kat heist; French taze Australian DJ making amazing mix; Rasputin privates museum; brave with bees; not enough alliteration; Smash! I.P.; Off Broadway good news bad news for Boney M!Unlock the BONUS SCENE(S) at improv4humans.com and gain access to every episode of i4h, all ad-free, as well as TONS of exclusive new podcasts delving deeper into improv, the history of comedy, music and sci-fi.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this Artist Spotlight edition of Inwood Art Works On Air podcast, we welcome local soprano, Karyn Levitt.Karyn Levitt wrote the shows Will There Still Be Singing? A Hanns Eisler Cabaret and On Hollywood and Weimar: Songs of European Composers from the Golden Age of Film and has performed them at renowned venues including the Center for Jewish History, Off-Broadway's York Theater, Feinstein's/54 Below, Cafe Sabarsky, Metropolitan Room, Princeton University, Brecht-Haus in Berlin and Goethe Institut-Boston and related concerts at Vassar, Amherst, and Bates Colleges, as well as Goethe Institutes in LA and Boston. She is among the leading Lied singers of the highly demanding Eisler repertoire. In addition to being a celebrated soprano, Ms. Levitt is a distinguished producer, known for her historic collaboration with Eric Bentley, whose centennial tribute she produced and performed in at The Town Hall, now documented in the feature film Honoring Eric Bentley: A Centennial Tribute Concert. Her professional background also includes acting, composing, writing, editing, and performance coaching. www.karynlevitt.com

This is a clip from my upcoming Broadway Drumming 101 conversation with Morgan Parker, currently holding the drum chair for A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical.Morgan dropped a lot of wisdom in this episode, but this part really stood out to me.One of her mentors told her that you're going to feel overwhelmed when the phone won't stop ringing… but you're also going to feel overwhelmed when the phone doesn't ring.That's the reality of this business.Morgan also talks about how dangerous it is to compare your path to other people's careers, especially in the social media era. Some musicians land major gigs quickly. For others, it can take years or even decades. Everybody comes to music in their own time.What matters is staying prepared, staying humble, keeping your ego in check, and continuing to grow.Morgan's career is a great example of that mindset in action. Along with Broadway and Off-Broadway credits, she's also worked as a stage manager for The New York Pops and performed in everything from theater productions to television performances and concert halls.Really great conversation. Full episode coming soon on Broadway Drumming 101.Clayton Craddock is the drummer for Cats: The Jellicle Ball on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre. He is also the founder of Broadway Drumming 101 and the author of Broadway Bound and Beyond: A Musician's Guide to Building a Theater Career.His Broadway credits include Memphis, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, Ain't Too Proud, and Cats: The Jellicle Ball, with additional credits spanning tick, tick…BOOM!, The Hippest Trip: The Soul Train Musical, and subbing on Rent, Motown, Evita, Avenue Q, and the Hadestown tour.Clayton has appeared on The View, Good Morning America, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Today Show, and the Tony Awards. He has performed with artists ranging from Chuck Berry and Ben E. King to Kristin Chenoweth and Norm Lewis.www.claytoncraddock.com Get full access to Broadway Drumming 101 at broadwaydrumming101.substack.com/subscribe

Our guest today is the multi-talented Carey Renee Sharpe, who recently made her Off-Broadway debut in Blood/Love - a vampire pop opera that she wrote and performed in. Set within a nightclub called The Crimson, the musical follows her search for meaning beyond immortality when she encounters a human with secrets of his own. Carey's journey is really fascinating - she began formal violin training at just three years old but pursued a career in nursing instead. After stepping away from healthcare to restore a historic theater in her hometown, Carey rediscovered her passion for the performing arts and started working on her own original musical shortly after. Join us as we talk about the Halloween party that inspired Carey to write this musical, her journey from the initial idea to the finished show, her  collaboration with two-time Grammy nominee Dru DeCaro, and so much more.  ______ Follow Carey on Instagram: @careyreneemusic Follow Goodversations on Instagram: @goodversations ______ If you enjoyed this episode, please share it on your social media stories! In this way, more people will get to hear Carey's thoughts on the industry. Be sure to follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts for a fresh batch of weekly episodes, featuring the stars of Moulin Rouge, Mean Girls and more.

A Yuji Itadori cosplayer assaults a creeper who was banned from a con! Plus, Sailor Moon gets a little political, and Crunchyroll hosts an anime industry summit ahead of New York Comic Con. Also, it's time for another anime-filled Heritage Auctions, TOKYOPOP launches a children's publishing company, and a manga is getting an Off-Broadway musical this fall! Meanwhile in Japan, a shogun cultural experience that teases all five senses, a woman broke into a home just to slap a resident in the face, and very interesting stress balls?!

Show SummaryOn today's episode, we're replaying a conversation with conversation with playwright and producer Elizabeth Coplan, founder of the Greif Dialogues, a nonprofit theatrical movement that facilitates conversations about dying, death, and grief. We talk about her own connection to service and discuss how Grief Dialogues has developed a specific immersive experience of remembrance and reflection ahead of Memorial DayProvide FeedbackAs a dedicated member of the audience, we would like to hear from you. If you PsychArmor has helped you learn, grow, and support those who've served and those who care for them, we would appreciate hearing your story. Please follow this link to share how PsychArmor has helped you in your service journey Share PsychArmor StoriesAbout Today's GuestElizabeth Coplan is a veteran of marketing and public relations with over four decades of experience. She began her professional journey as an aspiring actor in New York City in 1972 before pivoting to publishing, eventually becoming the managing editor of Chief Executive Magazine. After relocating to California, she climbed the ranks at Collins Foods International, ultimately serving as Director of Corporate Communications.In Seattle, Elizabeth became a trailblazer in professional services marketing, notably serving as the first Northwest marketing director for Touché Ross (now Deloitte). She later became Director of Client Service and Development at Davis Wright Tremaine, where she helped grow the firm from three to ten offices and pioneered strategic sponsorships in the legal sector. After six years, she launched her own consulting firm, advising major clients including Merrill Lynch and the University of Washington School of Law.Her service on nonprofit boards includes the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art and the Intiman Theatre, where she chaired strategic planning. In 2013, after a series of personal losses, Elizabeth began writing to process her grief. This led to the creation of Grief Dialogues, a groundbreaking play and nonprofit initiative that fosters dialogue about death and grief through theatre.Her award-winning works include Hospice: A Love Story, Untold, The Choice, and Honoring Choices, the latter adapted into a film that premiered in Los Angeles and earned multiple festival awards. She also directed and produced Juntos Nos Ayudamos, a film addressing suicide in a Hispanic family, and co-hosts the podcast Out of Grief Comes Art.Elizabeth's writing appears in professional grief therapy publications, and her full-length play 'Til Death premiered Off-Broadway in 2023 with an acclaimed cast. She is currently working on The Book Club, a new play exploring the lives of senior women.Links Mentioned in this Episode Grief Dialogues WebsiteMy Guardian Angel MoviePsychArmor Resource of the WeekThis week's resource of the week is the PsychArmor course, Good Grief. Grief is not only experienced with death, it can also occur with job loss or severe changes to physical well-being. The purpose of this course is to recognize loss and identify what is learned as a result of that loss. You can find the resource here:  https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/good-grief Episode Partner: Are you an organization that engages with or supports the military affiliated community? Would you like to partner with an engaged and dynamic audience of like-minded professionals? Reach out to Inquire about Partnership Opportunities Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don't Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

On Your World of Creativity, we travel around the world talking with creative practitioners who turn ideas into impact. Today we're stepping into the studio with a guest to explore what it really means to trust yourself, dismantle habits, and make braver, more embodied art. Welcome choreographer, director, educator and author … Alexandra Beller.Alexandra's Website@alexandrabellerdances on InstagramAlexandra on YouTubeAlexandra's Facebook pageLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexandra-beller-0a56a57A former member of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, she is now the Artistic Director of Alexandra Beller/Dances, having created more than 40 dance theater works internationally.Her teaching spans Princeton University, the Laban Institute, and residencies around the globe. In theater, she's worked Off-Broadway and regionally, with credits including Lincoln Center and A.R.T.Alexandra is currently writing two books:The Embodied Conductor (Meredith Music, 2025) andThe Anatomy of Art (Bloomsbury, 2026).Her work blends somatic practice, rigorous inquiry, and creative freedom to help artists deepen their process and unlock new possibilities.1 — The Creative Process as a Living PracticeAlexandra, you've spent decades inside the creative process — as performer, choreographer, director, and educator. What inspired you to write a book about the creative process now, and what do you hope artists take away from it?Follow-up:The Anatomy of Art reads like a field guide for creative life — part poetic meditation, part practical workbook — with chapters on Time, Space, Meaning, Relationship, Process, Material, and more. Each section offers inquiry prompts, embodiment exercises, and devising practices that help artists reconnect to their sensory intelligence and personal voice.You also weave in contributions from seminal voices like Anne Bogart and Deborah Hay, folding perspectives from across disciplines and generations into the book.Can you share how you designed The Anatomy of Art to live at that intersection of instinct and analysis — and why it felt important to create something that offers rigorous tools while still honoring the mystery of making?2 — Trust, Doubt, and Creative CourageYou speak often about trusting yourself in the creative process. That sounds simple — but it's incredibly difficult in practice.What does it really mean to trust yourself as an artist — and how do creatives actually begin to do that?Optional follow-up:What role does doubt play? Is it something to eliminate — or something to work with?3 — Structure and FreedomYou work with systems like Laban and Bartenieff — which are rigorous, structured methodologies — yet your approach is also deeply poetic and personal.How do you balance structure and freedom in your work?And more broadly, how can artists use structure without becoming constrained by it?4 — Dismantling Habits & Artistic ReinventionYou talk about dismantling habits — creatively and personally.Why is breaking creative habits so essential for growth?What happens if we don't?Follow-up:Is there a connection between the parts of ourselves we hide and the habits we form in our art?5 — Joy, Burnout & Staying PorousArtists often struggle with burnout, pressure, comparison, and the fear of not being “enough.”How can artists stay porous and brave without becoming overwhelmed?And how do we create conditions for joy — especially in careers that can feel filled with struggle?Key themes:• The body as intelligence• Trust as a practice, not a personality trait• Structure as a container for freedom• Dismantling habits to create braver work• Joy as a discipline

On this episode of On the Aisle, host Tom Alvarez sits down with acclaimed composer, lyricist, and playwright Adam Gwon for an in-depth conversation about his Off-Broadway musical All the World's a Stage and its upcoming cast album. Gwon shares how the show grew out of his reflections during the pandemic and explores themes of identity, mentorship, and the power of art to represent marginalized voices. The two discuss Gwon's creative journey from Baltimore to NYU and beyond, his early love of piano and theater, his experiences working with Roundabout Theatre Company, and the influence of artists like Audra McDonald. Blending personal stories, humor, and thoughtful commentary on the state of musical theater today, the interview offers an intimate look at one of contemporary theater's most heartfelt voices.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sepideh Moafi recently starred as Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi on the riveting medical drama, ‘The Pitt,' and is known for her roles in ‘The L Word: Generation Q' and ‘The Deuce.'She is returning to her theater roots this year in ‘New Born,' a play composed of three monologues written by Ella Hickson.

We're thrilled to be joined by Carey Renee Sharpe to chat all about Blood/Love: A Vampire Pop Opera! Carey makes her Off-Broadway debut as Valerie in her own original production.  We chat with Carey all about developing & performing in Blood/Love, vampire lore and so much more!

This episode we are joined by actress and comedian Nicole Travolta! Nicole's show, Nicole Travolta Is Doing Alright is currently playing at Soho Playhouse until May 10th! The show was originally developed in Los Angeles and has since played sold-out engagements nationwide Off-Broadway, at Edinburgh Fringe Festival and makes its return to Soho Playhouse. On a personal note: I saw the show and LOVED it! I encourage you all to go and see it!For for more information and tickets to Nicole Travolta Is Doing Alright visit: doingalrightshow.com

Alexandra Beller (MFA, CMA) is a choreographer, director, educator, and former member of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. As Artistic Director of Alexandra Beller/Dances, she has created over 40 dance theater works internationally. Her teaching spans Princeton University, Laban Institute, and global residencies. In theater, she's worked Off-Broadway and regionally, with credits including Lincoln Center and A.R.T. Alexandra is currently writing two books: The Embodied Conductor: A Somatic Approach with Laban and Bartenieff (Release TBA 2027) and The Anatomy of Art (Bloomsbury, Fall 2026). She blends somatic practice, rigorous inquiry, and creative freedom to help artists deepen their process and unlock new possibilities. website: www.alexandrabellerdances.org and book site: https://www.anatomy-of-art.com/, but if space and format allow,    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thelabanista   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8suG0TLGKqufov8IpqLrKw   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-beller-0a56a57/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandrabellerdances/   Thank you so much for being here. This podcast exists because of the women who show up for these conversations and keep coming back. It genuinely means everything.Leave a review on Apple Podcasts and you could win a free mini consult with Cody. Each month one reviewer is chosen at random. It takes about a minute and it helps Create the Space reach the women who need it most. Connect with Cody: Instagram: @spacewithcody Website: spacewithcody.com Free Resource: Ready to shift the energy of your home? Start here with Five Shifts to Improve the Energy of Your Home, a free guide from Cody. Work with Cody: Explore ways to work together at spacewithcody.com© Create the Space with Cody Maher. All rights reserved.

Brigid Amos sits down with David Quang Pham Quwahng Fahm to discuss how he combines his love of musical theater with science to educate and entertain.Credits:Audio Engineer Gary GlorOne Heartbeat Away is provided to The Theater Project by Gail Lou References:David Quang Pham is an award-winning songwriter, theatre and filmmaker, recognized for creating musicals that personify science to explore the human condition and social issues. His notable work includes plant-based comedy Turnover: A New Leaf, evolutionary fantasy The Living Fossils, and astrophysics family drama Ellipses. They have been produced Off-Broadway, nationally, and internationally. His talent has been recognized with numerous accolades, including a Working Title Playwrights apprenticeship, Playwrights Foundation fellowship, 2024 Great Performances Fellowship Award, and appearance at the 78th Tony Awards on CBS. Be up to lightspeed at science.studio and @ScienceTheatreTour (2019): A musical revolving around subatomic educators competing in an academic accelerator. It was a finalist at the 2019 Downtown Urban Arts Festival.Turnover: A New Leaf is an award-winning plant-based musical by David Quang Pham that follows Vietnamese cilantro Rau Ram trying to earn a green card while running a salon and raising her son, Parsley, in "Dirty City". The story, inspired by Pham's childhood, explores immigrant assimilation, queer identity, and photosynthesis through a comedic, dramatic lens.Aliyah Curryhttps://www.imdb.com/name/nm8550270/Dr Quincy Thomashttps://www.queertk.org/bios/dr.-quincy-thomasQueer Theatre Kalamazoohttps://www.queertk.org/Janelle Lawrencejanellelawrence.comGonzalo Valencia Penahttp://www.gonzalovalencia.com/Cải Lương is a form of modern folk opera that originated in southern Vietnam in the early 20th century. Often translated as "reformed theater" or "renovated theater," it represents a cultural fusion that combines traditional Vietnamese music and folk songs with Western stage techniques and modern spoken drama.

TOGETHER is a new theatrical collaboration between Sonia Friedman and Hugh Jackman, with Director Ian Rickson. Audible Theatre and TOGETHER are presenting a series of productions in repertory at Audible's Minetta Lane Theatre in New York City, one of which is Tom Noonan's ‘What Happened Was…' This production, the first major New York revival in nearly 30 years, is directed by the aforementioned Ian Rickson, and stars Corey Stoll and, our guest, Cecily Strong.

Hey Horror Fans! The Book of the Dead is having a moment. With Evil Dead: Burn dropping this July, Evil Dead: Wrath officially locked in for 2028, and Lee Cronin's The Mummy keeping the Rise director in the conversation…it felt like the right time to go back to one of our earliest episodes!! Back in March of 2021 we sat down with George Reinblatt, the creator of Evil Dead the Musical, to talk about what it takes to take one of horror's most beloved franchises and turn it into a full blown stage production (complete with a Splatter Zone). We get into the origins of the show, its Off-Broadway run, why local productions keep popping up every Halloween around the world, and the long, weird, wonderful history of horror and comedy sharing a stage. Plus as always we open with some quick thoughts on the Evil Dead franchise's current moment, some horror news, and close things out with our latest Mostly Horror Recommendations of the Week! Grab your poncho… it's gonna get groovy.. Come Hang Out!!! Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram & Threads: @mostlyhorrorpodTikTok & Twitter/X: @mostlyhorrorSteve: @stevenisaverage (all socials)Sean: @hypocrite.ink (IG/TikTok), @hypocriteink (Twitter/X)Enjoyed this episode? Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform to help us reach more horror fans like you! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ellenore Scott joins the show to discuss her historic season, where she has achieved the rare feat of having multiple productions running simultaneously on and off Broadway. She shares the incredible story of her son Ford's birth, which took place less than twenty-four hours after she walked the red carpet for the opening night of Ragtime at Lincoln Center. Ellenore reveals the logistical gymnastics of negotiating with her doctor to delay her C-section so she wouldn't miss her opening night, and how she transitioned from celebrating a professional milestone to welcoming her first child the very next morning. The conversation dives deep into her creative process, specifically how she builds a unique movement language for vastly different shows like Ragtime and Titanique. Ellenore explains her history as a "TikTok girly" during the pandemic and how she successfully choreographed the viral Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical entirely over Zoom. She also breaks down her secret "choreographic signature"—the "bitch swerve"—and tells us exactly where to look for it in her current productions. Ellenore Scott is an acclaimed choreographer, director, and performer whose work spans Broadway, television, and digital media. A former finalist on So You Think You Can Dance, she has choreographed Broadway productions including Funny Girl, Mr. Saturday Night, and the current revival of Ragtime, as well as the long-running Off-Broadway hit Little Shop of Horrors. She is a multiracial artist with a heritage encompassing African American, Indigenous, Filipino, Mexican, Hawaiian, and Irish roots. Ellenore is also the founder of her own dance company and has served as an associate to Andy Blankenbuehler on the Broadway revival of Cats. This episode is powered by WelcomeToTimesSquare.com, the billboard where you can be a star for a day. Connect with Ellenore: IG: @helloellenore Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support the podcast on Patreon and watch video versions of the episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@theatre_podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TheTheatrePodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Alan's personal Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alanseales⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us Fan MailOren Michels is an entrepreneur, investor, board member, and advisor to technology startups in the US and Europe. He is the co-founder and CEO of Barndoor AI, the control plane for agentic AI, and the founder who previously helped define the API management category with Mashery, acquired by Intel in 2013. He is also a Tony-nominated Broadway and Off-Broadway producer whose credits include Romeo+Juliet and Good Night, and Good Luck starring George Clooney.In this episode, Oren draws on two decades of building foundational infrastructure for the enterprise to make the case that governing AI agents is not a security problem. It is an entirely new category of problem, and most companies do not yet have the vocabulary to describe it, let alone the tools to solve it. If your agents can already write to your CRM, interpret your instructions, and act without life experience or fear of consequences, who is actually in control?In this conversation, we discuss:Why securing AI agents is entirely different from managing APIs, and why traditional security and identity access tools were never designed to handle what agents can do.The reason most so-called agentic AI is still glorified robotic process automation, and what it will actually take to unlock enterprise value.How Barndoor AI's "least privilege" framework for agents works, and why the permission logic goes far beyond the identity of the human using the tool.Why an agent with delete access to your CRM is one probabilistic misfire away from a catastrophic outcome, and why ultimate responsibility always comes back to the humans operating the tools.The BYO AI parallel to BYOD: why well-meaning employees using personal AI tools with company data may force the enterprise governance moment no one is ready for.Why the same instinct that took Oren from API infrastructure to Broadway and back to enterprise AI may be exactly the mindset the agentic era demands from its builders.Explore this conversation:00:00 Intro and fun Fact03:46 Oren Michels's Path From API Management to Building Barndoor AI05:44 Redefining Trust: AI Lacks Life Experience and Fear of Consequences08:24 History Repeating: Why AI Needs a Control Plane Just Like APIs Did12:35 Deterministic APIs vs. Probabilistic Agents: Why Governing AI Is a Social Challenge18:25 How Barndoor AI's "Least Privilege" Framework for Agents Actually Works20:50 The Token Economy and Context Windows: Wandering Into the AI Home Depot25:25 Preventing Catastrophic Failures: Why AI Agents Should Never Have Delete Access31:39 The BlackBerry Moment of AI: Navigating the "BYO AI" Enterprise Trend38:04 Balancing Tech and Creativity: From Enterprise AI to Producing on BroadwayResourcesSubscribe to the AI & The Future of Work NewsletterConnect with Oren on LinkedInAI fun fact articleOn How AI may eliminate jobs: what the data reveals

“If Hamilton is an Obama-era hope musical, we are a Trump-era protest musical," said Nygel D. Robinson, co-creator of “Mexodus.” “Mexodus,” a high-energy Off-Broadway show that explores a lesser-known part of U.S. history: the Underground Railroad, south into Mexico. In the 1800s, thousands of enslaved Black people fled to Mexico, where slavery had been abolished decades before the United States. Maria Hinojosa speaks with “Mexodus” co-creators and stars, Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, about what they hope their hit show can teach audiences today about cross-racial and cross-border solidarity. Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S., centering Latino stories and hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. Follow the show to get every episode. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Inwood Art Works On Air podcast. On this Artist Spotlight episode we speak with film director, actor, and photographer, David Zayas Jr. David Zayas Jr. is a Bronx native and made his Off-Broadway directorial debut with Simpatico, at the Chain Theatre. Prior to that he directed the Jesus Hopped the A Train staged reading starring Common, John Ortiz, and David Zayas at the LABs 30th Anniversary. David also directed multiple times at the Barn Series, which included three New Works in progress by Stephen Adly Gurgis. He is a teaching artist for directing and has directed with Planet Connections, Actors Theatre of NY, NY Theater Festival, Samuel French OOB Festival, and more. Along with award winning films in over 20 festivals. David is a member of The Actors Studio's Playwright/Directors Unit and LAByrinth Theater Company. Also did stunts and stand in work for multiple TV productions including “Dexter”, “Dexter Resurrection”, “The Following”, “Gotham”, “Shut Eye”, and movies like “Ride” and “Annie”. Follow at dzcs4u

[REBROADCAST FROM February 27, 2026] "Bigfoot! A New Musical" is a new musical comedy about small town rumors, conspiracy theories, and of course giant, hairy creatures. Amber Ruffin, who wrote the book, music, and lyrics for the show, discusses the show alongside actors Crystal Lucas Perry, who plays Bigfoot's mom, Francine and Grey Henson in the role of Bigfoot. "Bigfoot! A New Musical" runs through April 26, and is nominated for Outstanding Musical at the 2026 Lucille Lortel Awards. Photo courtesy of the production

[REBROADCAST FROM March 25, 2026] "Mexodus," the musical about the Underground Railroad that lead south to Mexico, has returned to the Off-Broadway stage. Stars and creators Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson return to WNYC to discuss the show, and perform songs live in our studio. 'Mexodous' is the most-nominated production at the 2026 Lucille Lortel Awards. Photo by Thomas Mundell

Broadway performer Nina White (The Queen of Versailles) joins The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul for a lovely discussion on navigating the ups and downs of theatrical journey with kindness all the way up to her new play You Got Older at the Cherry Lane Theatre. This positive podcast episode features: How Nina is working through stage door discomfort to learn to better accept compliments. The golden advice she received from her Tony-winning Kimberly Akimbo co-star Victoria Clark and The Queen of Versailles powerhouse Kristin Chenoweth. Her self tape tips + other advice for young musical theatre performers. The kindness of being present and honest and much more. NINA WHITE stars as ‘Jenny' in the Off-Broadway production of YOU GOT OLDER, which opened at the Cherry Lane Theatre on February 23rd to rave reviews and was a New York Times Critics' Pick. Most recently, she could be seen in Broadway musical THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES, for which she received acclaim for her standout role as 'Victoria,' daughter to Kristen Chenowith's 'Jackie'. Nina first broke onto the theater scene originating the role of ‘Teresa' in the 5x Tony-winning musical, KIMBERLY AKIMBO, followed by a role in the Kennedy Center's acclaimed production of THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE. Her on-screen credits include A24's Golden Globe-winning film, A DIFFERENT MAN, starring Sebastian Stan, and Peacock series LONG BRIGHT RIVER with Amanda Seyfried.  She resides in New York City. Got kindness tips or stories? Please email us: ⁠⁠⁠artofkindnesspodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠ Follow Nina ⁠@iamninawhite Follow us ⁠⁠⁠@artofkindnesspod⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠@robpeterpaul⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Support the show⁠⁠⁠! (⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theaok⁠⁠) Music: "Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio. We are supported by the Broadway Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Matt Tamanini is in conversation with Karin McCracken and Simon Leary, the stars of the new Off-Broadway play “Heartbreak Hotel.” McCracken wrote the show and stars as a woman living through the ups and downs of a particularly difficult breakup. The show’s unique structure highlights the messiness read more

Weekly catch-up time! Broadway talk takes center stage during Jenna and Kevin's weekly catch-up! They share their thoughts on Matthew Morrison stepping into "Just in Time," Lea Michele leaving "Chess" in June, Kevin's review of "The Wild Party," and they reveal how Heather Morris is feeling about making her Off-Broadway debut in "11 to Midnight!" Plus, Kevin spills on attending the "Project Hail Mary" premiere in New York! From the celebs he ran into, to his movie review, and his advice you need to hear before you see the movie! For fun, exclusive content, and behind-the-scenes clips, follow us on Instagram @andthatswhatyoureallymissedpod & TikTok @thatswhatyoureallymissed!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nina White stars as Jenny in You Got Older off Broadway at the Cherry Lane Theatre. Nina is known for her Broadway-debut performance as Teresa in the Tony Award-winning musical Kimberly Akimbo, reprising the role from the show's Off-Broadway premiere with Atlantic Theatre Company. She is also starred in the pre-Broadway world premiere and Broadway transfer of the musical The Queen of Versailles, playing the daughter of star Kristin Chenoweth; and she also starred as Olive Ostrovsky in the 2025 revival of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Kennedy Center in D.C. On-screen, she can be seen in Mr. and Mrs. Smith (Amazon Prime) and A Different Man (A24). University of Michigan alum. She loves to knit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Topics: going from fans to friends, writing Titanique the musical, moving from Off-Broadway to Broadway, performing at Brian Kelly's birthday in Lisbon, sing-along etiquette, our worst theater roles, Never Have I Ever with Celine DionSponsorsQuince: Go to Quince.com/taylor for free shipping and 365-day returnsHers: Visit forhers.com/taylor to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets youPique: Secure 20% off your order and begin your intentional wellness journey today at Piquelife.com/taylorBobbie: Visit hibobbie.com to find the formula trusted by parents and loved by the babies — 700k and countingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.